Drier for motor vehicle washing and cleaning apparatus



April 1948- L. J. ROUSSEAU DRIER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE WASHING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z60 oasseau DRIER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE WASHING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ihwentor Gltomegs 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 K I Bnventor .560 J /K0u55eaa Gttomegs L. J. ROUSSEAU Filed Aug. 19, 1944 DRIER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE WASHING AND CLEANING APPARATUS April 20, 1948.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- DRIER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE WASHING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Leo J. Rousseau, Grosse Pointe Park, Micln, as-

signor, by mcsne assignments, to Minit-Man, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application August 19, 1944, Serial No. 550,241 7 Claims. (Cl. 34-229) The present invention relates to improvements in cleaning and drying apparatus for motor vehicle bodies and tops.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for drying h l and vehicle looking in the direction of the arrows and further bodies after they have been cleaned and brushed Showing the arrangement of the ona y nozzle by the action of jets of water or cleaning liquid and jet the e ndirected thereon so as to eliminate the tedious In the drawings, the reference character 5 hand drying operation after the vehicle has been will be employed to designate a P Of Spaced cleansed and to save time and labor in the com- Channel members forming a Vehicle pathway pletion of th hi l cleaning operation which may be a continuation of a brushing, wash- Another object of the invention is to provide and scrubbing aeparatuses Fhown and a drying apparatus particularly applicable to the scribed in my copendmg applicat1on upon motors drying of vehicles and vehicle bodies after they vehicle cleaning apparatus; have been washed and cleaned and to provide a Supported above e vehicle pathway or chandrying apparatus which will permit the easy nel members 5 1s a drying apparatus adapted to sage f the vehicle through the drying area direct currents of air over the vehicle surfaces out reducing or impairing the efficiency of the 23 gig gf gg pggfiggi fig ggz'13: a aratus.

pApnother object at the invention is to provide a vertical uprights 6 located on each side of the vehicle and vehicle body drying apparatus in pathway or channel members 5 and said uprights which there is provided a movable drying nozzle are of I-beam construction and are connected for directing a stream of air over the top of the i a top by means of Lbeams T We1d.ed or other vehicle body as the vehicle passes therebeneath, g z ffigfig 2:; 12333 ifigggg s gfsfi :3: $22313 r ifiiifii t g fi i gi gg igwg f channel members 9 and 10 arranged in spaced hide to insure the proper drying thereof and the parallel relation and said channel members are formed of suitable angle bars having opposed pairs removal of all moisture on the various body surfaces of flanges connected by longitudinal plates 1 l and Another object of the invention is to provide a so respectively hi d d in a grams Wm h ma be u ed with Mounted on the longitudinal plate I2 is a pair W e W g pp 0 s of fan blower casings or fan blowers l3 and M the vehicle brusping and scrubbing appaufltus having their bases l5 and 16 respectively secured Shown and descnbed in my co'pendmg apphca' in place by suitable bolts or machine screws as at Serial filed August so thajt I8 and being provided with air inlets |3a and Ida the Vehicle body may be thoroughly dned as respectively. The fan blowers I3 and M are propasses m the brushmg apparatusvided with rotors l 9 and 20 mounted on suitable Other obJects and advantages of the invention Shafts 2| and 22 supported in bearing extensions W111 bfiwme apparent during the cOurse of the 23 and 24 formed integral with the bases l5 and followmg description of the accompanying draw IS. The shafts 2| and 22 are additionally supings' wherein: ported by spaced bearing brackets 25 and 26 like- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the dry ng i formed integral with and extending upwardapparatus showing the manner in which a vehicle W from the lower bases 5 and Each of the is passed or conveyed therethrough for the purhafts 2g and 2 is provided with a pulley as pose of drying the various body surfaces thereof; (Heated at 27 and 23 located between the respec Figure 2 is a top elevational v of t e dr tive bearing arms 23, 25, and 24, 26. Electric p us Showing the arrangement of the movmotors 29 and 30 are provided for the respective able nozzles and location of the stationary nozzles v fan blow r l3 and 4 and hav their ba 3| d sp s d n pp s t d s f the v l pat way and 32 secured to the longitudinal plate H on the so as to direct'a jet of air on the surfaces of the channel member 9 by bolts or the like as at 33. vehicle in a direction opposed to the travel there- Th ar t shaft of th motor 29 as t 34 i of; provided with a pulley 35 over which is trained Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the drying a pulley belt 36 for drivingly engaging the pulley apparatus showing the various arrangements and 21 of the blower l3, and similarly, the motor 30 details thereof and illustrating the manner in has its armature shaft 31 provided with a pulley 2 which the vehicle is passed therethrough for the purpose of drying the same; and

Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view partly broken away and taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1 3 88 over which is trained a pulley belt 40 for drivingly engaging the pulley 28 of the fan blower l4. Additional supporting brackets He and lid are secured to the blower casin s l3 and I4 respectively and to the longitudinal plate I2 so as to prevent vibration thereof during operation. The outlet or exhaust M of the fan blower I3 is connected to a chamber or housing 42 having branch conduits at the ends thereof as at 43. The housing 42 is provided with an arcuateiy curved fitting 44 for receiving the outlet or discharge 4| of the fan blower l3 so that the same may be secured thereto by welding or the like or by other suitable fastening means.

Depending from the rearmost channel member 9 is a pair of spaced supporting brackets 45 having their foot portions 46 secured in place by means of bolts or the like as at 41 and said 54 so as to swingto and fro with the channel bars 49 when a vehicle V is passed thereunder. The spray nozzles are provided with elongated spray orifices 55 and are provided with end extensions 56 flattened as shown in Figure 1 to provide angularly disposed spray orifices 51. The centralmost portion of each spray nozzle is provided with a coupling collar 58 over which is fitted flexible air conduits 59 which are formed of a suitable flexible fabric such as duck or the like and capable of being extended and contracted in accordion fashion. The upper ends of the flexible fabric conduits 59 are connected to coupling collars 80 depending from the chamber or housing 42 so that the air from the fan blower i3 will pass downwardly through said conduits 59 and into the nozzle 52 and thence through the spray orifices 55 and 51 directly to the surfaces of the vehicle top or other portions of the body of the vehicle V. Coil springs are located with the flexible conduits 59 for holding said conduits extended diametrically and to prevent the collapsing thereof when the spray nozzles 52 are raised or lowered during the passage of a vehicle V therebeneath.

Secured to each spray nozzle 52 is a pair of caster supporting brackets 62 for supporting caster rollers 63, formed of rubber or the like so as to engage the top surface of the vehicle and cause the nozzle to be raised and lowered during the travel of the vehicle therebeneath without marring or scratching the vehicle finish.

It is tobe noted that one of the spray orifices 55 and the continuation thereof 51 at the ends thereof are presented in a direction opposed to 4 or the swinging to and fro on the pivoted channel bars 48.

It will thus be seen that the air nozzle 62 will direct air downwardly from the fan blower l3 to dry the top surfaces of the vehicle body and in order to dry the side panels a pair of tubular conduits are disposed on opposite sides of the conveyor pathway or channelway 5 with their lower ends supported by means of a bracket plate 66 welded or otherwise secured to the flange portion of the floor brackets 61 which are secured to the floor by means of anchoring bolts 68. The upper ends of the tubular conduits 85 are connected by horizontal conduits 69 havin formed intermediate their length converging bil'anch pipes 19 connected to a common conduit 1 12 and extends laterally as at 13 to one side of the apparatus where it is angularly bent as at 14 so that the free end thereof 15 may be connected to the outlet or discharge duct 15 of the fan blower or blower casing I4.

The tubular conduits 65 are provided with tangentially disposed walls 11 terminating in a longitudinal discharge orifice 18 so as to direct a stream of air in a direction opposed to the direction of vehicle travel as indicated clearly in Figure 2.

It will thus be seen that when the vehicle is passing in the direction indicated in Figure 1, the air from the fan blowers l3 and I4 will be directed over the top and sides through the respective nozzles 52 and tubular conduits 65 so as to complete the drying and remove all moisture from the vehicle body and surfaces thereof after the same hasbeen brushed or scrubbed in a washing or cleaning apparatus as described in my co-pending application Serial No. 547,837 filed August 3, 1944, for Motor vehicle cleaning apparatus.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A drier for drying the surfaces of motor vehicles after they have been cleaned and washed, comprising a vehicle pathway, a frame structure disposed above said pathway and supported on each side thereof, a pair of pivoted bars carried by the frame structure, a spray nozzle extending between and supported by said pivoted bars to move vertically, means carried by said spray nozzle for engaging the top surface of a vehicle passing along said pathway to move said nozzle vertically and space said nozzle from the surface of said vehicle, said spray nozzle being provided with a discharge opening for directing air downwardly over a vehicle passing along said pathway, a motor blower for supplying said spray nozzle with air, spray nozzles disposed on opposite sides of said pathway for directing a jet of air over the sides of the vehicle body, a motor blower for said second-mentioned spray nozzles, and yielding duct means connecting said first-mentioned spray nozzle with the motor blower therefor.

2. A drier for drying the surfaces of motor vehicles after they have been cleaned and washed, comprising a vehicle pathway, a frame structure disposed above said pathway and supported on each side thereof, a pair of pivoted bars carried by the frame structure, a spray nozzle extend- The upper end of the conduit H is bent as at 5. lag between and supported by said pivoted bars to move vertically, means carried by said spray nozzle for engaging the top surface of a vehicle passing along said pathway to move said nozzle vertically and space said nozzle from the surface of said vehicle, said spray nozzle being provided with a discharge opening for directin'gair downwardly over a vehicle passing along said pathway, a motor blower for supplying said spray nozzle with air, spray nozzles disposed on opposite sides of said pathway for directing a jet of air over the sides of the vehicle body, a motor blower for said second-mentioned spray nozzles, said motor blower being mounted on the frame structure with the discharge outlets arranged to be connected to said first and second mentioned spray nozzles, and flexible duct members for connecting said first-mentioned spray nozzle with its corresponding motor blower to limit downward movement of said home.

3. A drier for drying the surfaces of motor vehicles after they havebeen cleaned and washed, comprising a vehicle pathway, a frame structure disposed above said pathway and supported on I each side thereof, a pair of pivoted bars carried by the frame structure, a spray nozzle extending between and supported by said pivoted bars to move vertically, said spray nozzle being provided with a discharge opening for directing air downwardly I over a vehicle passing along said pathway, a motor blower for supplying said spray nozzle with air, spray nomes disposed on opposite sides of said pathway for directing a Jet of air over the sides of the vehicle body. rollers carried by the first-mentioned spray nozzle for engaging the vehicle body and holding the discharge orifice in spaced relation therefrom during the travel of said vehicle along said pathway, and a flexible duct connecting said first-mentioned spray nozzle with the motor blower therefor, said flexible duct being arranged to limit the downward movement of said first-mentioned spray home.

4. A drier for drying the surfaces of motor vehicles after they have been cleaned and washed, comprising a vehicle pathway, a frame structure move vertically, said spray nozzle being provided with a discharge opening for directing air downwardly over a vehicle passing along said pathway, a motor blower for supplying said spray nozzle with air, spray nozzles disposed on opposite sides of said pathway for directing a jet of air over the sides of the vehicle body, rollers carriedby the first-mentioned spray nozzle for engaging the vehicle body thereby moving said spray nozzle vertically and holding the discharge orifice in spaced relation therefrom during the travel of said vehicle along said pathway, and a flexible conduit connecting said first-mentioned spray nozzle with its corresponding motor blower to permit said vertical movement of said nozzle during the travel of said vehicle along said pathway, said motor blower being mounted on the frame structure with the discharge outlets thereof connected to said first and second mentioned spray nozzles.

6. A drying apparatus for motor vehicles, comprising a vehicle pathway, a frame structure supported above said pathway, an elongated nozzle extending transversely of said pathway and having elongated orifice means therein with a substantially horizontal central orifice portion and downwardly and inwardly inclined end orifice portions on opposite sides of said central portion for directing a jet of air downwardly over the upper portion and downwardly curved edge portions of the top of a vehicle passing along said disposed above said pathway and supported on passing along said pathway to move said nozzle vertically and space said nozzle from the surface of said vehicle, said spray nozzle being provided with a discharge opening for directing air downwardly over a vehicle passing along said pathway, 0. motor blower for supplying said spray nozzle with air, spray nozzles disposed on opposite sides of said pathway for directing a Jet of air over the sides of the vehicle body, a flexible conduit connecting said first-mentioned spray nozzle with its corresponding motor blower to permit said vertical movement of said nozzle during the travel of said vehicle along said pathway.

5. A drier for drying the surfaces of motor vehiclessftertheyhavebeencleanedandwashed, comprising a vehicle pathway, a frame structure dispoledabovesaidpathwayandsupportedon pathway, an air blower located on said frame structure for supplying air to said nozzle, and a flexible conduit connecting said nozzle with said blower to permit vertical movement of said nozzle during the travel of said vehicle'along said pathway.

7. A drying apparatus for motor vehicles, comprising a vehicle pathway, a frame structure supported above said pathway, an elongated nozzle extending transversely of said pathway and having elongated orifice means therein with downwardly and inwardly inclined orifice portions on opposite sides of the center thereof for directing a jet of air downwardly over the upper portion and downwardly curved edge portions of the top of a vehicle passing along said pathway, an air blower mounted on said frame structure for supplying air to said nozzle, and a flexible conduit connecting said nozzle withsaid blower to permit vertical movement of said nozzle during the travel of said vehicle along said pathway.

L. J. ROUSSEAU.

ass-mess one 4 The following. references are of record in the file of this patent: 

